Use of incapacitating gas



.Fzma 18 19270 3,143.39 R. B. LAWRENCE USE OF INCAPACITATING GAS Filed May 25 1922 Mg o O O O '0 O O INVENTOR M 73 g A; M

Patented-Jan. 18,1927.

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUBEN IB. LAWRENCE, .OF BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO LABO- RATORIES, INCORPORATED, 013 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

USE OF INGAPAGIT ATING GAS.

Application filed May 23,

The present invention relates to the use of incapacitating gas and more particularly to the use of such gas for the prevention of robberies, the control of mobs, etc. The gas producing substance is directly exposed to the flame of a material which is capable of self-supporting combustion. The gas producing substance, preferably in solid crystalline or powdered form, is preferably mixed with the flame producing substance which is preferably a slow ,burning gun powder. The mixture is supported in a container so as to allow a comparatively rapid and complete combustion thereof. The burning material bythe heat of its flame vaporizes the gas producing substance, and at the same time generates a large volume of gases of combustion which serve as a vehicular gas to project the incapacitating gas. The container is preferably provided with one or more openings or nozzles which serve to direct the stream of mixed incapacitating gas and combustion gas toward the person or place which it is desired to gas.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a device for the preventionof robberies,

which contains the device for generating the Figure 2 is an elevation of a portion of the lamp standard showing the gas directing openings or nozzles;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line III III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 1s a section along the line IV-IV of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring connections for a number of the gas generating devices.

Referring to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the hollow standard 1 of an electric lamp forms the container for the gas generating device. Enclosed in the container is a mixture 2 of gas producing crystals and slow burning gun powder. It is referred to use chloroacetophenone crystals which produce a lachrymose gas having an almost instantaneous incapacitating effect 1922. Serial No. 563,074.

upon a person, but not producing any permanent after effects. The material which is capable of supporting combustion in the absence of an adequate supply of oxygen is preferably a slow. burning gun powder. Either the ordinary black gun powder may be used, or smokeless powder may be used mixed with a small amount of magnesium oxide to make it slow burning. This has the advantage of the smokeless qualities combined with slow burning qualities, since it plosive effect but rather just slow enough to project the gas as a rapidly flowing directed stream. The mixture of gas forming crystals and gun powder is supported in an open work receptacle 3 preferably made of wire screen or perforated metal sheet. The gun powder and crystals are preferably'caked by heating them to about the temperature of boiling water so as not to rattle out of the receptacle 3. from the inside of the container 1 and is substantially surrounded by an air pocket 4. 1t has been found that by thus supporting the mixture in an open work receptacle substantially surrounded by an air pocket, a much more complete, rapid and reliable com,- bustion is obtained than if an attempt is made to cake the material and ignite it in an imperforate container. Thisfeature of supporting the mixture is particularly applicable to the manufacture of gas producing hand grenades as well as to robbery preventing devices. The inner receptacle 3 is made removable so that a fresh charge may be readily placed in the outer container after use.

The mixture 2 is ignited by an electric resistance wire 5, preferably of nichrome or other wire capable of withstanding a high temperature. The lead-in wires 6 for the igniter 5 may be brought in through the same lamp cord 7 which carries the electric lamp w'ires8.

The container 1 has a number of open;

The receptacle 3 is spaced is desired not to generate the gas with an exwhich hermetically seals the openings but "which will be readily blown out by the pressure of the gases of combustion,

In Figure 5 is indicated a wlring diagram to which a number of portable lamps having standards 1 containing the gas generating apparatus are connected up in. series with a battery 11. A number of push buttons. or other circuit closers 12 are provided 5' which may be operated by a number of people in case the person who is being held up by the robber is unable to operate his push button. In installing the system in a bank, for example, the portable lamps may be placed upon the tellers counter with the gas discharging openings pointing through the window, and other devices may be placed on desks of the officers, if desired. In case of an attempted robbery, one of the push buttons can be pressed either with the hand or foot and the gas set off. The gas streams will be directed away from the bank employees and toward the would-be robber, so that the would-be robber will immediately 0 get the effects, while the bank employees have an opportunity to don gas masks, before the entire room is permeated with the as. g While I have illustrated the container for S a gas generating device and a standard for a portable electric lamp, because it can thus be rendered inconspicuous, other forms of containers can be used. For example, the. gcontainers could be built in to the frame work around the tellers window or could be placed in any other position, in which they would discharge the gas streams in the desired direction.

Gas producing substances other than 5 chloroacetophenone may be used, such, for example, as vomiting or sneezing gas, although it is preferred to use a lachrymose While it is preferred to use a smokeless gun owder.with some agent to make it slow urning, other forms may be used and the term gun powder as used in the claims is intended as a word of general description and not of limitation and to include various kinds of gun powder, together with analogous materials which supply their own oxygen for combustion and produce a relatively large volume of gases of combustion which will be expelled from the container carrying with them the incapacitating gas. While it is preferred to intimately associate the combustible material with the gas producing substance by mixing them, it is obvious that they may be otherwise associated provided the gas producing substance is exposed to the heat of combustion of the combustible material so as to be thereby gasified. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to its illustrated embodiment,

but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of producing an incapacitating gas which consists in igniting gun powder in. the presence of chloroacetophenone to gasify it, substantially asdescribed.

2. A device for generating an incapacitating gas comprising a container, an inner open-work receptacle within the container and substantially surrounded by an air pocket and a gas producing substance and a material capable of self-supporting combustion in the receptacle, and means for igniting the combustible material, substantially as described.

3. A device for generating an incapacitating gas comprising an outer container having a removably-sealed gas discharging opening, an inner receptacle removably placed within the outer container, and substantially surrounded by an air pocket, a gas producing substance and a material capable of self-supporting combustion within the receptacle, and means for igniting the combustible material, substantially as described.

4. A device for generating incapacitating gas comprising an outer container'having a.

gas directing opening therein, an inner receptacle, placed in the outer container and substantially surrounded by an air pocket, an .incapacitating gas producing substance and a material capable of self-supporting combustion in the receptacle, and an electric igniter for igniting the combustible material, substantially as described.

5. A device for generating incapacitating gas comprising a container, a mixture of chloroacetophenone crystals and gun powder in the container, and means for igniting the gun powder, substantially as described.

6. A device for generating incapacitating gas comprising a container, a mixture of chloroacetophenone crystals and gun powder in the container, means for igniting the gun powder, and an electric igniter for the gun powder controlled from a distant sta-.

tion, substantially as described.

7. The method of generating an incapacitating gas which consists in surrounding a mixture of a solid incapacitating gas producing substance and a material capable of self-supporting combustion with a container which prevents discharge of the solid materials within the container upon ignition of the combustible material but permits ready discharge of the resulting gases, substantially as described.

8. The method of generating an incapacitating gas which consists in surrounding a mixture of gun powder and a solid incapacitating gas producing substance by a perforate receptacle, whereby combustion over substantially the entire surface of the mixture is permitted while discharge of the solid material from the receptacle is prevented, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RUBEN B. LAWRENCE. Y 

